Part 6: Courage in Scrubs

Nursing is often associated with strength; and yes, nurses are strong. But real courage in nursing isn’t about suffering silently, pushing through burnout, or holding back your needs.

Courage is no longer defined by how much you can endure.
It’s defined by how much you choose to honour yourself while honouring others.

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The New Courage We Stand For

Courage looks like:
🩺 Saying “I need support” without shame.
🩺 Speaking up when something doesn’t feel safe.
🩺 Asking to swap a shift when you’re running on empty.
🩺 Saying “that’s not okay” when boundaries are crossed.

Before we knew better, a colleague once said;
“I thought being brave meant keeping it all in. Now I know it means letting myself be human and still showing up with integrity.”

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Why This Matters

Nurses are not invincible.
We cannot pour from an empty cup.
We are not more valuable when we are exhausted, afraid, or neglected.

You are not your productivity. You are a person and your courage includes protecting your own wellbeing.

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A Gentle Reminder

👉 Courage is asking for help before you break.
👉 Protecting your health is not weakness, it’s wisdom.
👉 Boundaries are not barriers to care, they are the foundation for it.

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💡 Reflection Prompt

This week, reflect on this:

• Where in your practice do you need to say “no” or “not yet”?
• When have you recently chosen to prioritise your wellbeing and how did it help your care?
• What does healthy courage look like for you right now?

Write it down. Make room for the version of yourself that doesn’t just survive the shift, but thrives beyond it.

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